International: Eastern Bloc

Stalin wasted few words. Last week, the Molotov plan for eastern Europe
was already a fully developed reality.

After Molotov's Paris walkout (TIME, July 14), the Soviet Union hastily
buttressed its economic spite-fence. In 30 days, twelve new trade pacts
were signed between Moscow and satellites, or satellites and
satellites. Shotgun treaties herded satellites more snugly into the
Soviet economic pen. One rueful, resigned Rumanian characterized a
Soviet trade agreement: "It is more blessed for us to give than to
receive."

Economic Pincers. Russian trade treaties, like reparations, were
instruments of extortion, and, in method, straight out of the Nazi
mold, with which...